Folding coat-rack.



l. L. VAN ETTEN.

FOLDING COAT RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 056.8. 19x1.

1 ,292,931 Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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I. L. VAN ETTEN.

FOLDING COAT RACK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8. 1911 1 ,292,93 1 Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

muawbo c www "3, My 52 IRVING L. VAN ETTEN, OF NEW "YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING coar mcx.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed December 8, 1917. Serial No. 208,248.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, IRVING L. VAN E'rrEN, a citizen of the United States, residin at New York city, in the county of New ork and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Coat- Racks, of which the following is a spec1- fication.

This invention relates to improvements in racks and is particularly directed to the class of racks for holding hats, coats, and trousers.

An object of the invention is to produce a rack of this character, which, when not in use, may be folded to provide a comparatively small package for storage or for shipment and which, when in its set up position, will be strong and efiicient for the purpose devised.

Other objects and advantages Wlll present themselves as the nature of the invention is more fully understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a rack constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing th rack in its folded condition.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view looking toward the inner end of one of the clot es supporting arms.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the bracket members secured on the post or standard of the rack.

Fig. 9. is a perspective view of a staple member which may be employed for securing the bracket members to the standard or which may be employed, if desired, to provide the hinged connection, in lieu of the bracket, between the standard and the clothes su porting arms.

eferring now to the drawings in detail, the post or standard of the improved rack is designated by the numeral 10, the same comprising a member which is square or rectangular in cross section. The post 10, on all of its faces, adjacent its lower end, has secured thereto one of the elements 11 of a hinge 12, the other element or wing 13 of the sand hinge being secured to the inner face of leg members 14. The legs have their inner ends provided with an angular surface 15 that 1s deslgned to contact with the side or face of the post when the legs are in their supporting position, and the arrangement of the hinge 12 permits of the legs being folded against the sides or face of the post 10 when the device is in its collapsed posltion, as illus trated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Upon the sides or face of the post 10, at suitable spaced intervals, I secure brackets 16. These brackets each referably comprlse a center plate .17 having laterally extendin members directed from the center thereo indicated by the numerals 18, the said members havin outward angle, as in icated by the numerals 19, and from thence, extend inwardly, as at 20 in a lane ina line with the lateral members 18. The outer members have their confronting ends spaced slightly away from each other. The plate 17, adjacent the ends thereof, is provided with openings 21 through which are passed securing elements 22, and, if desired, these securing elements may be in the nature of the staple 23 illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings, or the said securing elements may be in the nature of headed screws as disclosed in the other figures of the drawings.

The U-shaped portions of the brackets 16 provide one of the elements whereby the clothes supporting arms are hinged] connected to the post. Any number 0 these arms may be provided, the upper arms, indicated for distinction, by the numerals 24:, being curved or arched, so as to conform with the shoulder portions of garments, such as coats, designed to be arranged upon the said arms, while the lower arms indicated for distinction by the numerals 25 are straight, and over these arms are arranged folded trousers, or like garments. Each of the arms 24 and 25 have their inner ends, at their upper portions designed to .contact with the flat faces or sides of the post 10 when the arms are in supporting position, and the said arms are designed to be swung against the sides or faces of the post when the device is collapsed. To accomplish this, I notch each of the arms at the lower inner corners thereof, as indicated by the numerals 26, and these notches are closed by L-shaped plates 27, one of the their ends bent at anmembers of each of the plates being secured to the inner end of each of the arms, and the other anglemember of each of the plates being secured to the under face of the arms. The angle plates 27 may be arranged in the U-shaped portions of the brackets 16 by being inserted through the gap between the confronting ends of the Outer members 20 of the said brackets, or, if desired, the angle plates may be secured to the arms after the same have been passed through the U-shaped portions of the brackets.

It will be apparent that by elevating the arms 24: to bring the U-shaped portion of the brackets near the lower portion of the notches 26, the arms 24 and 25 may be swung downwardly against the sides or faces of the post 10 as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

If desired, in lieu of the brackets 16, the staple members 23 may be employed, the connecting element for the arms of the staple being arranged in the notch 26 of the arm and being retained therein, through the medium of the angle plate 27 A aaaaeer The upper or outer end of the post 10 is centrally provided with a socket 28 designed to receive'a lug 29, provided upon the under face of a hat rest 30. Preferably the hat rest, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a member which is of a semispherical formation having an inner stubbing of some compressible material, and an outer facing for said material, as illustrated by the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is A rack for the purpose set forth comprising a post, leg members hinged to the post and designed to be folded against the post, substantially U-shaped members on the sides or faces of the post, arms having their inner edges notched at the lower corners thereof receiving the U-shaped members, and a substantially L-shaped plate secured to the under face and the inner end of each of the arms to define a slot for retaining the U-shaped members in the notches.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

IRVING L. VAN ETTEN. 

